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9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome.  Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4).   This priority was not only reflecte...
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Mormon 9 - Doubt Not, but Be Believing


Moroni concludes his father's record by teaching important doctrines about the final judgment and encouraging all people to repent and serve God. 

 Ye Would Be More Miserable to Dwell with a Holy and Just God
I imagine the final judgment to be a process of self-selection. Obviously Jesus Christ is our judge and all judgments will be in perfect harmony with His will, but I guess what I mean is that these judgments will also be in alignment with our desires and preferences. Moroni explained this idea this way: "Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a consciousness of your guilt? Do ye suppose that ye could be happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws? Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell" (Mormon 9:3-4). Our mortal experience is a process of transformation to turn us into the kind of beings that would actually want to be around God. 

 In Him There Is No Variableness Neither Shadow of Changing
One of God's most defining characteristics is His consistency. Moroni rhetorically asked, "For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing? And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles" (Mormon 9-10). Notice the subtle difference in the capitalization of the the words "god" and "God" in the last sentence. If we imagine a god that is fickle, changing, or inconsistent, that work of fantasy is an idol separate from the true and living God. That does not mean that God does not use a variety of different methods to most effectively reach His children. It does not mean that God's instructions do not evolve to meet us where we are. For me this doctrine is important because it attests that while doctrines, observances, and church policies evolve with the needs of His people by instruction from His prophet, there are character traits of God that never chance. Primary among these traits is that God loves His children. He each loves them today, individually, and has throughout all time. It is a reminder to me that in order to understand God's words, actions (and inactions) I have to interpret them through the lens of love.

 He That Is Happy Shall Be Happy Still
Growing up I was often taught that my basic nature would not change simply because I died. While it seems intuitive that you would be more inclined to believe in God and the afterlife once you have passed away, Moroni teaching that that is not the case: "And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still" (Mormon 9:14). When reading this passage in the past I had never notice Moroni's comment that "he that is happy shall be happy still." As it turns out, being freed from sickness, overcoming physical weakness and discomfort in a perfect body, being liberated from temporal needs for food, and not having to worry about providing food, clothing and shelter is not the source of eternal happiness. Even after every care of this life has been removed, it will still be possible for people to be unhappy. One of the main tasks of this life is to manage our minds, become willing to experience all emotions, and gain the ability to find happiness in all circumstances. 

 Preach the Gospel to Every Creature
This Sunday I went with the missionaries to hand out flyers to advertise our Stake's upcoming Christmas Pageant. It was a nostalgic experience to be back on the streets of Taiwan inviting people to attend a church activity. I handed out a few fliers, but most people were busy and uninterested, and I have a suspicious that even those who took flyers were only being polite. While I can't compare a few minutes of passing out flyers to the work of preaching the gospel, it did bring back many fond memories of serving as a missionary in Taiwan. I was also reminded of how quickly and easily we fall into the trap of profiling the people we meet into categories of those who are likely to receive the gospel and those who are not. Why was it easier for me to offer a flyer to the friendly family with young children than the seasoned business man? Because of this experience, Moroni's words about missionary work stood out to me. He taught, "thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto ... all his disciples: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mormon 9:22). We can never know or anticipate who will be receptive to the message of the gospel.

 Doubt Not, but Be Believing
I love Moroni's closing instructions to future generations to "despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him" (Mormon 9:27). As we prepare to move back to the U.S. next year, our family is faced with all sorts of uncertainty about what job to take, where to live, and when to start applying to MBA programs. This verse was a useful reminder to me to be prayer and trust in the Lord. I know that as I do what I can to research various options, God will intervene to direct my life for good. 

 Be More Wise Than We Have Been
Moroni is humble about his failings as an author. In apologizing for any errors in his abridgment (which he recorded in his second language) he advised readers in later generations to "give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been" (Mormon 9:31). When people with authority in our lives make mistakes it is easy to blame and become resentful. This is rarely more apparent than in our unfair judgment of our parents' mistakes, or our critical attitude toward teachers, leaders, and politicians. Depending on the severity, the mistakes of others can inconvenience or scar us. While it cannot justify the weakness or cruelty of others, we can find personal peace by being grateful for the lessons we learn from the imperfections of others, even if the 'tuition costs' are high. One of my greatest hopes is that my children do see me in 3D and that they are able to avoid my failings. 

 Application Questions

 Do you really want to do the right thing? In what ways do you persistently relish worldly or unrighteous things? How can you serve God with greater purpose?

 What evidence do you have of God's love for you?

 What can you do to practice being happy? What thoughts can you think deliberately to bring peace and joy into your life?

 Is there someone in your life who seems like they would never be interested in religious topics or attending a church activity? Can you invite them to learn more anyway?

 What question in your life could you use more help from God in answering?

 What have you learned from others' mistakes? How can you be grateful for the ways that others have injured or inconvenienced you?
Image Credit: Cristina Gottardi

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